Iron Bowl for the Ages

The center of attention this week is on the state of Alabama when #4 Auburn and #1 Alabama take each other on for the right to play in the SEC Championship. In the historic Iron Bowl rivalry, this could be the biggest matchup between the two ever. Alabama is undefeated and in the driver's seat for the National Championship. Auburn is 10-1, with their only loss coming to LSU. This has all the ingredients for a great game. I am 23-16 this year with all my predictions and I have been hot coming down the final stretch. 

#1. Alabama vs #4 Auburn 

3:30 PM

The winner of this matchup will have to go through either #5 Missouri or #10 South Carolina in the SEC Championship. Both teams love to pound you upfront and run the ball right down your throat. RB Tre Mason has been a beast this season for the Tigers along with Dual-threat QB Nick Marshall. Alabama has arguably the best defense in the country, so it will be interesting to see who comes out victorious in that category. This will be a very tight and hard nosed game, but I think the Bama defense is too much for Auburn. 

My Pick: Alabama 27 Auburn 17

#6 Clemson vs #10 South Carolina

7:00 PM

These two teams do not like each other and it makes for a hard fought game. Clemson has been overshadowed since that loss to Florida State. The key will be to see if the Tigers can protect QB Tajh Boyd from that fierce South Carolina front 7. Connor Shaw is the heart and soul of the Gamecocks. The Senior QB has carried the offense on his back the whole season. This should be a back and forth game, but I think South Carolina is going to send a message to the world tonight and come out and lay it on Clemson. 

My Pick: South Carolina 35 Clemson 24

#25 Notre Dame vs #8 Stanford

7:00 PM

Everyone remembers how this game ended last season with ND's goal line stand to beat the Cardinals. Stanford is playing some very good football as of late and will once again look to shove it down your throat. I am not sure ND has the depth to handle the Cardinals. I think Stanford will wear down the Fighting Irish. As long as Stanford accounts for WR TJ Jones and DaVaris Daniels, they should be good. However, I have learned the hard way never to count out Notre Dame. I expect them to come to play and make a game of this. 

My Pick: Stanford 35 Notre Dame 26

Game of the Week: The Rivalry Goes On

The game of the week consists of two of the best QB of all time in Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. The Patriots and Broncos will go at it in New England. This is the first time in years that the Patriots are not favored to win at home. These 2 teams are the frontrunners in the AFC and have established themselves as the teams to beat. The Pats are coming off a controversial loss to the Panthers while the Broncos had a statement win last week against the Chiefs. This will be the 14th time Manning and Brady have played against each other. Brady has a 9-4 edge over Manning, but I think Peyton will get one back tonight with the help of his teammates. It will be chilly in Foxborough and I think Montee Ball and Knowshon Moreno will have big running days for Denver. They will take some of the weight off Peyton, who has a hobbled ankle. 

My Pick: Denver 27 New England 24

Season Record: 6-5

Saturday Slate

There are tons of important games this Saturday with BCS implications. There are five matchups between two top 25 teams. The biggest one is in the Big 12 when undefeated #4 Baylor takes on #10 Oklahoma State in Stillwater. The other games include Missouri/Ole Miss and Arizona State/UCLA.  

#17 Arizona State vs #14 UCLA

7:00 PM

Arizona State will clinch a PAC-12 Championship Game berth with a win tonight in Pasadena. UCLA needs to win out to play in the PAC-12 Championship. They have USC on the horizon for an epic battle. ASU is lead by QB Taylor Kelly, who has thrown for 24 TD on the year. The Bruins are carried by Sophomore QB Brett Hundley and 2-way star RB/LB Myles Jack. Myles Jack has been a beast this season on defense and offense. He leads the team in tackles and is 2nd on the team for rushing TD. The Arizona defensive front is stacked this year. I expect them to put pressure on Hundley. However, UCLA has a more balanced attack on offense.

My Prediction: UCLA 37 Arizona State 31

#8 Missouri vs #24 Ole Miss 

7:45 PM

Both of these teams have somewhat overachieved this season. Ole Miss's only losses have came against ranked opponents and their load Freshman class has been very solid. Mizzou would be in the National Championship race if it wasn't for a South Carolina comeback. They need to win out to play in the SEC Championship. James Franklin is back in the lineup for the Tigers after separating his shoulder in a win over Georgia. Matty Mauk did a great job in replacement for him, but Franklin has more experience. The game is at Ole Miss and the stadium will be rocking, but I think Missouri escapes. 

My Prediction: Missouri 24 Ole Miss 16

#4 Baylor vs #10 Oklahoma State

8:00 PM

Baylor is still in the mix to play in the BCS Championship Game, but needs to be dominant in their wins and for a couple teams to lose ahead of them. They are breathing down the neck of Ohio State for the #3 spot in the BSC rankings. Oklahoma State is right behind Baylor in the Big 12 Standings and will come to play tonight. They have two very hard runners in Desmond Roland and Jeremy Smith. The atmosphere will be crazy tonight. Baylor has arguably the best offense in the country, but both of these teams have strong defenses. I think that defenses will be overshadowed tonight, though. 

My Prediction: Oklahoma State 34 Baylor 28

My Season Record: 21-15

Last Week: 2-1

Game of the Week: Unfamiliar Territory

When you have a 9-0 and an 8-1 team playing each other it is pretty obvious what the game of the week is going to be. The undefeated Chiefs are putting their unscathed record on the line tonight in Denver when they take on a hobbled Peyton Manning and the Broncos. The Chiefs have had an easy schedule until these next few weeks. This is a KC team that only won 2 games last year. The organization hasn't played in a game as big as this in a long time. The Broncos are coming off a 28-20 win over San Diego. Their offense has put up video game numbers in the 1st half of the season. The Chiefs and the Broncos could not be more different. The Chiefs center around their defense and running game. Alex Smith has the 2nd most rushing yards for QB behind Cam Newton. The weather will be a factor tonight, and it should benefit the away team. The weather could force the Broncos to run the ball more, and that is exactly what the stout Chiefs defense is hoping will happen. 

My Pick: Chiefs 20 Broncos 16

My Season Record: 6-4

Saturday Pick 'Em

It is a great day for college football fans and an important one too. There are 3 big games that have big implications on the conference championship races. I am 19-14 with my predictions this season after a 1-2 record last week. This week's slate includes games from the PAC-12, Big 12, and SEC.

#12 Oklahoma State vs #24 Texas

Texas hasn't loss since Week 3 and are in the driver's seat to win the Big 12. Oklahoma State's offense has been electric this season. Their only loss came to West Virginia in an upset. This will be a high-scoring game and I expect it to be decides at the wire. It could come to which defense can get a stop. This will be a thriller and expect the Longhorns' fans to be rowdy, but I think OSU will get the job done. 

My Pick:  Oklahoma State 37 Texas 34

#25 Georgia vs #7 Auburn

Both of these teams have been playing terrific football as of late. Auburn has been lead by a dynamic rushing game and a tough defense. Georgia has been very injured this season, but Aaron Murray has made best with what he has. Gus Malzahn has done an amazing job with the Tigers this year and they are in the hunt for an SEC Championship. This will be a very interesting game. This could be Georgia's last test before the bowl season. Auburn has a bye next week, then the highly anticipated Iron Bowl against #1 Alabama. 

My Pick: Auburn 27 Georgia 17

#4 Stanford vs USC
Stanford and USC are both playing the best football they have played all season. College Gameday is in LA and broadcasted from the McCarthy Quad earlier today.  The Cardinals are coming off a huge win against Oregon last Thursday night in which they dominated the line of scrimmage. USC is 4-1 under interim Head Coach Ed Orgeron since firing Lane Kiffin. They have new life and are still in the race for a PAC-12 Championship berth. Stanford is the leader in the North Division. This will be a very hard nosed football game. Stanford likes to pound you up the middle. USC fans are hoping Orgeron (old D-line coach) has his men up front ready for the game. Stanford will have trouble matching up with Nelson Agholar and Marqise Lee on the outside. Tyler Gaffney will be tough to bring down for Stanford. His performance last week against Oregon was Heisman-esque.
My Pick: Stanford 24 USC 23 

Future of Basketball

Tonight showcases the best young talent in the country on one floor at the United Center in Chicago. #1 Kentucky and #2 Michigan State will go at it first at 7:30 in a battle of two very balanced teams. Kentucky has possibly one of the best load of Freshman since the Fab Five. John Calipari has done a masterful job recruiting and lands the top prospects year after year. Michigan State has plenty of stability on offense. The other matchup that everyone wants to see is between #4 Duke and #5 Kansas at 9:30 after the MSU/UK game. Freshman phenom Andrew Wiggins will take the floor for the Jayhawks against Jabari Parker for Duke. These two were #1 and #2 in the recruiting class last year. They are also projected to be the 1st two picks of the upcoming NBA Draft. Rodney Hood is a beast down low at Forward for the Blue Devils. This game will be very exciting and electrifying.

Kentucky 73 Michigan State 65 I think both of these teams will go far, but I think Julius Randle has a monster game for the Wildcats.

Kansas 85 Duke 83 OT This game will be one for the ages, but I think Kansas will win the battle on the boards. 

Game of the Week: Panthers in the Playoffs?

My game of the week should be a good one with two of the most entertaining young QBs in the league going at it. The Panthers and 49ers are set to battle at Candlestick Parkin San Francisco. The 49ers have a 6-2 record and are second in the NFC West behind the Seahawks. The Panthers have been a surprise to many this season and are second in the NFC South and are tied for the last Wild Card in the NFC. Cam Newton has been very fun to watch this season, accounting for 17 total TD. He has also thrown 7 INT. Colin Kaepernick has thrown 9 TD and ran for 3 more. The 49ers running game has been terrific this season. They have rushed for 153 yards per game, which is the league high. Both of these teams know how to stop the run. This will be a very physical matchup between the 49ers O-line and the Panthers front seven. This game should be a nail biter, and I think it will come down to the wire. 

My Pick: Panthers 27 49ers 24

My Season Record: 5-4

thewiseguise.com

Tuscaloosa Tango

After a disastrous Thursday night for me and my predictions, I am trying to make up for my 0-2 start of the week. The best game of the day comes in the SEC when #1 Alabama and #13 LSU go at it in Tuscaloosa. I will only be picking one game today because I picked two on Thursday. My record for predictions this season is at 18-14.

#13 LSU vs #1 Alabama

8:00 PM

This is a great matchup of two teams that play stout defense and pound the ball down your throat. LSU's running game has carried the offense. Zach Mettenberger started the season off on a tear, but has had a tough time since. Alabama has, as crazy as it sounds, sort of gotten overshadowed. They have dominated every team that has gotten in their way. The defense has been terrific. The key matchup is the LSU running game against the 'Bama front seven. This is an extremely tough pick for me, but I am going with Alabama in a very tight game. 

My Pick: Alabama 17 LSU 16

Best Thursday of My Life

This Thursday night is one of the best you will ever see in the sports world. There are two huge matchups in the college football universe. The game everyone is talking about is between #3 Oregon and #5 Stanford. The game is in Palo Alto and Oregon is looking for revenge after the Cardinals beat Oregon and ended their National Title hopes last year in Eugene. The game that nobody is really talking about is in the Big 12 between #6 Baylor and #10 Oklahoma. Both Baylor and Oklahoma have high-flying offenses. I went a perfect 3-0 last week and I am now 18-12 this year with my predictions.

#10 Oklahoma vs #6 Baylor

7:30 PM FoxSports1

Baylor's offense is prolific and they have scored an average of 63.9 PPG. They lead the nation in passing and are top 10 in rushing. QB Bryce Petty has placed himself in the national spotlight with all the yards he has put up. RB Lache Seastrunk has rushed for 11 TD and about 870 yards. Oklahoma is sitting at 7-1 with their only loss coming against Texas. Their offense is balanced, but their defense is what has sort of carried them. The Sooners have had many big wins this year including ones over Texas Tech and Notre Dame. This will definitely be high scoring, and I can see this game heading to OT. 

My Pick: Oklahoma 44 Baylor 38

#3 Oregon vs #5 Stanford

9:00 PM ESPN

This has been the matchup everyone has been waiting for. The amazing and fast Oregon offense against the stingy Stanford defense. This game has been marked on everyone's calendars for months. Stanford eliminated Oregon from the PAC-12 Championship race last year in a thriller. The Cardinals' defense won the battle in that showdown. This is an improved Oregon team with, in my eyes, the best QB in the country. Marcus Mariota has been sensational and is a frontrunner for the Heisman. Stanford hasn't really blown people out, but they know how to get the job done. They have won all four of their games against ranked opponents, however are 7-1 because of a slip-up against Utah. The Ducks are ahead of Stanford in the PAC-12 North race, and a win here could put an end to Stanford's dream of playing in the PAC-12 Championship. 

My Pick: Oregon 38 Stanford 24

Game of the Week: One for the Ages

This week's game I am picking is between two of the most storied franchises in all of the NFL. The Packers and Bears go at it in another clash between these two rivals. These two teams dislike each other strongly, so it is fitting that they play on Monday Night Football for everyone to watch. Green Bay has a 1-game cushion in the NFC North over the Bears. A loss for the Packers would put them in a 3-way tie with the Bears and Lions. The Bears are sitting at 4-3, but are without QB Jay Cutler and LB Lance Briggs. This is a daunting task for Chicago, especially since the game is in Green Bay. Green Bay has won 4 straight since a 1-2 start. The offense has been strong as always, but the run defense has been very impressive. Josh McCown will get the start at QB for the Bears. He does have some good help in RB Matt Forte and targets like Brandon Marshall and Martellus Bennett. This should be a very interesting game. But then again, when is a Green Bay/Chicago matchup not interesting?

My Pick: Green Bay 30 Chicago 20

My Season Record: 5-3

Saturday Pick 'Em

This Saturday is filled with games with BCS implications. The biggest game of the week is in the ACC when #3 Florida State and #7 Miami go at it in Tallahassee. Both teams are undefeated and have taken different roads to get to where they are now. #21 Michigan and #22 Michigan State will renew their rivalry in East Lansing. #15 Texas Tech and #18 Oklahoma State are set to play in a huge Big 12 matchup that will impact the standings.

#21 Michigan vs #22 Michigan State

3:30 PM

These two teams will square off today with a lot on the line. They are the top two teams in the Big 10 Legends Division. The winner of the Legends will most likely play #4 Ohio State unless the Buckeyes trip up along the way. QB Devin Gardner can do it all for the wolverines. He has thrown for 13 TD and ran for another 9 more. He also has help from WR Jeremy Gallon and RB Fitzgerald Toussaint. They have taken the load off Gardner. Jeremy Langford will get most of the touches for MSU today. The Spartans defense has been outstanding this year, only giving up 12.3 PPG. This will be a classic MSU/Michigan game, but I like the Spartans at home. 

My Pick: MSU 24 Michigan 23

#18 Oklahoma State vs #15 Texas Tech

7:00 PM

The Red Raiders are coming off their first loss of the season to Oklahoma. Oklahoma State has won 3 straight since their loss to West Virginia. Both of these teams are hitting their tough part of the schedule. The Big 12 is so wide open this year and it will come down to the last few weeks. #6 Baylor is undefeated and looks like the favorite, but both of these teams are very much alive. These two offenses know how to score points. This will be an offensive battle. Neither team's running game is very strong, so expect the ball to be in the air most of the game. Texas Tech has the home-field advantage, but I don't think that will be enough. 

My Pick: OSU 45 Texas Tech 38

#7 Miami vs #3 Florida State

8:00 PM

This is the matchup everyone has been wanting to see. Florida State and its high powered offense against the stout Miami defense. This game is just like '90s between these two rivals. These two teams don't like each other and will leave everything on the field. It should be an entertaining matchup. Miami has been very sluggish lately and are extremely lucky to still be undefeated. FSU has destroyed every team in their way and are scary. Jameis Winston has been amazing for the Noles at QB. Their defense and offense are some of the best in the country. Miami's running game carries the offense. The defense has just been outstanding this year. This game will be a lot of fun, but there aren't many teams that can stop FSU and I don't think Miami can. These two teams could meet up in the ACC Championship. 

My Pick: FSU 30 Miami 16

My Pick Record: 15-12

Fear the Beards

I am sorry I am late on this, but I hope everyone had a good Halloween. As you know, the Red Sox are your 2013 World Series Champions. The Sox beat the Cardinals 6-1 in Game 6 in Boston to seal the deal. It was a very crazy series with pick-offs and interferences, but the Red Sox proved to be the most well-rounded team in baseball. David Ortiz won MVP. He had 11 hits for 6 RBI and was key in the Red Sox's win. This has been a tough time for the city of Boston since the bombings at the Boston Marathon in March. The Red Sox have struggled through the tough times with the citizens of Boston. The infamous beards of the Boston players have swept through the nation and everyone is starting to take part in the beards. It was a very entertaining season in baseball and Opening Day is only 140 days away!